**PLEASE NOTE THIS IS A VIRTUAL PROGRAM THAT WILL TAKE PLACE VIA ZOOM. Registrants will receive a link to access the Zoom Meeting via email.**

Author James R. Hagerty will discuss his new book, Yours Truly: An Obituary Writer's Guide to Telling Your Story, in this ZOOM webinar. Someday, your life story is likely to be boiled down to a few lines. If you leave things to chance, your obituary is almost sure to be solemn, formulaic, and full of errors -- an obligatory final chapter written in haste by others. Hagerty, longtime obit writer for The Wall Street Journal, wants people to learn how to get the job done right -- start writing your obituary yourself, starting now, while you still can.

About The Book: In this surprisingly upbeat book about a usually downbeat subject, The Wall Street Journal’s veteran obituary writer, James R. Hagerty, shares his unique skills with those who want to have the last word by crafting their own stories in their own voices—with flourish, honesty, and even humor. In this heartfelt and reassuring guide, Hagerty explains how to preserve your personal history—from crafting a brief obituary for newspapers and websites, to a more thoughtful and detailed mini-memoir for those close to you. Through his personal stories, on-the-job anecdotes, and insights, you will learn what to include, what to leave out, and how to provide historical context, record oral histories and make the most of details, all with candor and wit. Best of all, you’ll find that reviewing your life story helps you think about what you’re doing with your time on Earth and whether you’re on the right path. It isn’t too late to improve the narrative with a stronger ending. Telling your story your way can be the best gift you ever give to friends and loved ones—and yourself. 

About The Author: James Robert Hagerty is an author and journalist who has worked at The Wall Street Journal for nearly forty years. He is the paper’s only fulltime obituary writer. His article “An Obituary Writer Writes One for Himself” drew an outpouring of reader responses, which inspired this book. A graduate of the University of North Dakota, he lives in Pittsburgh, PA. 

Register directly on Groveland's online calendar HERE. Please indicate you heard about the event from the Tewksbury Library, when prompted, on the second page. Presented in collaboration with the Groveland Library.

NOTE: This program will be recorded. All registrants will receive the recording via email within 24 hours of the program.